Removing floor covering material affixed to an underlying floor can be a tedious task. Several floor covering removal machines are known. Of these prior art machines, several are large machines ridden by an operator. Some other machines are significantly less in weight than others, for which the operator walks behind the machine.
Several types of machines exist on the market for removing tile, carpeting, or other coverings from a floor. There are also machines specially designed for resurfacing floors. However, there does not seem to be any machine which can combine the two operations.
Also, in each known floor covering, scraping or removing machine; there is an absence of a machine counterbalancing system to adjust the bias of the scraping element against the floor. Such a bias adjustment permits more efficient use of the machine and work.
A problem with the riding machines is that their size makes them difficult to use and maneuver in indoor areas. For example, such riding machines are too large to pass through a standard door. An advantage is that the large machines are able to generate large forces for stripping the floor covering.
A problem with the lighter weight, walk-behind machines is that they do not generate as much power for stripping floor covering, and thus are less effective at stripping tiles and carpeting secured by adhesives or epoxies. An advantage of the walk-behind machines is that they are smaller, can fit into smaller areas, and are more maneuverable than the larger machines.
Accordingly, there is a need for a floor covering removal machine, which has the power of the larger riding machines, without having the disadvantages of the large size and comparatively poorer maneuverability, especially for indoor use. The scraping capabilities of that machine must also be maintained.
Motor or hand-propelled devices for removing covering from horizontal surfaces such as floors and decks are well known. These devices typically include a blade which is wedged between the supporting surface and the covering to be removed. As the apparatus moves forward, the blade strips the covering from the surface. The lack of capability for the apparatus to adjust to irregularities in the contour of the surface adversely influences the efficiency of covering removal. These contours may include pits, grooves, adhesive residue, or other material.
Although some devices known in the art purport to adjust to the changing contours of the supporting surface, their use in the field is not satisfactory. The stripping blades of these prior art devices jump or slip out of operating position onto the top of the covering sought to be removed. As the speed of the stripping operation increases, the frequency of blade slippage over even minor contours increases.
When any of the above types of buildings are renovated, or when a new floor layer is required under any circumstances, it is first desired, if not absolutely required, to remove the pre-existing floor covering. The removal of the floor coverings is an arduous task because the existing floor coverings are securely fixed to the base surface such that the covering does not come unattached during its useful life.
Numerous types of physical attachment devices, such as thermosetting resin and epoxy resin, are employed to affix the floor cover to the underlying surface. Thus, when a floor covering is to be removed, the mechanism which adheres the floor covering to the underlying surface, usually an adhesive, must also be removed, in order for a clean surface to be presented for the application of the new floor covering. However, the strength of the adhesive, not only hinders removal of the adhesive, but often results in incomplete removal of the floor covering. Then, a portion of the floor covering remains adhered to the underlying surface by the adhesive, and result in a patchwork effect.
Human hand labor is the first, and most inefficient, means of removing floor coverings. Humans do not possess the strength necessary to remove floor coverings in most circumstances, even with hand tools. Hand operated or walk-behind machines are employed which grind or abrade the floor covering and connecting adhesive from the underlying surface.
However, these powered devices are dangerous. Not only can the high-speed vibrating portion of the mechanism can injure the worker, the particulate matter created by the grinding process is injurious to workers"" respiratory system. Additionally, these hand-held or walk-behind devices do not completely remove the floor covering and underlying adhesive because the power source, which is limited by the relatively small size of the hand-held device, is insufficient for the task.
Larger machines are also known to be employed, in which the machine is powered by a hydraulic power source located at a distance. The cables associated with the hydraulic power source are cumbersome, and these machines, as with the hand-held machines, generally attempt to grind or abrade the floor covering and adhesive from the underlying floor surface, which results in the dissemination of unhealthful particulate matter. Furthermore, grinding or abrading is a time-consuming and inefficient method of removing the surface layer and underlying adhesive, because not only must the entire floor area be traveled (width times length), but the entire depth of the surface covering and adhesive must also be traversed.
While machines are generally known for scraping one or more surface layers from an underlying layer, such as road levelers and the like, these devices are entirely inappropriate for use on floor covering and underlying adhesives. These devices lack the combination of compact size, economy of use and efficiency of operation to be time and cost effective.
It is necessary from time to time to remove materials from floors, roofs and other surfaces. Examples of such materials include linoleum, vinyl, rubber, urethane, epoxy and other plastics, and asbestos or asbestos-containing building materials for flooring. Other materials include roofing and waterproofing materials, wood, and adhesive.
The removal of the material may be accomplished by hand-using hand-held blades, but such means of removal is expensive and difficult, and requires considerable effort on the part of the humans employed for the purpose. The considerable time required to remove the materials is of particular disadvantage when the material is removed from a store or other place of business, often requiring the business to remain closed during the process. In some circumstances, it may even be physically impossible to remove the materials by hand.
Machines are available for this purpose, but they have disadvantages. For example, many of the available machines do not offer sufficient power or speed to remove the more difficult materials from the surface. Some machines offer minimal or limited flexibility in the available angles of the removal blade. Such machines often require that the angle of the removal blade be adjusted manually, forcing the user to disembark from the machine to adjust the blade angle. This feature increases the expense, complexity and maintenance costs of the machine.
Among the many objectives of this invention is the provision of a vehicle small enough to maneuver within a building and powerful enough to scrape or remove a covering or coverings from a floor.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle for removing at least one surface layer from a floor or the like.
Yet a further objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle for forcing a blade member between the layer or layers to be removed with the application of sufficient force.
Also, an objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle for forcing a blade member between the floor and the underlying layers with the application of sufficient force.
Another objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle, which adjusts between a first machine transport position for movement of the vehicle from location to location, and second surface scraping position.
Yet another objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle in which the relative weight over the blade of the vehicle can be altered to achieve the optimum desired mass balance of the vehicle.
Still another objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle, in which the position of the portion of the vehicle supporting the blade can be altered with respect to the horizontal to provide a first degree of adjustment.
A further objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle in which the blade can be angled with respect to horizontal to provide a second degree of adjustment.
A still further objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle in which the angle of scraping of the blade with respect to the surface having a cover being removed therefrom can be precisely controlled.
Yet a further objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle, in which the vehicle is mountable by a machine operator during use.
Also, an objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle capable of being moved over a carpeted floor, with minimal damage thereto.
Another objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle, which includes a blade capable of floating over the surface being scraped.
Yet another objective of this invention is the provision of a vehicle, which may receive a variety of attachments.
These and other objectives of the invention (which other objectives become clear by consideration of the specification, claims and drawings as a whole) are met by providing a self-propelled vehicle, having an adjustable blade being mounted thereon and being suitable for use in scraping a floor, with at least one optional attachment.